Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1875 — One of Sheridan’s Practical Jokes. [ARTICLE]

One of Sheridan’s Practical Jokes.

Another example, in our opinion, of a high order of practical joking, malicious though it be, is the following one related by Moore of Sheridan: The Bev. Mr. O’Bierne, afterward Bishop of Meath, having arrived at Sheridan’s country house near Osterley, it was proposed that on the next Sunday the clergyman should preach at the village church. On his objecting that he was not provided with a sermon Sheridan offered to write one for him if he would consent to preach it. The offer was accepted. The next morning (Sunday) Mr. O’Bierne found the MS. by his bedside. Having read it over and corrected some theological errors, such as “It is easier for a camel, as Moses says,” etc., he went to the church and delivered the sermon in his most impressive style, to the great satisfaction, as he thought, of all the congregation, among whom was Sheridan’s wealthy neighbor, Mr. C . Some months after Mr. O’Bierne found himself cut by the whole family of the B s, with whom he had previously been intimate; and on expressing his surprise at this treatment was informed that Sheridan’s sermon had been from beginning to end a personal attack upon Mr. C , who had rendered himself very unpopular by his harsh conduct to the poor, and to whom the congregation had applied every sentence the preacher had delivered. The sermon is preserved but it is unfortunately too long to quote. The text is: “For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arilS, sa*ith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.” Psalms xii., 5. The whole discourse is so grave and seemly that it needs an acquaintance with Sheridan’s intention to appreciate the subtle vein of irony that runs through it.— All the Year Round. A sun-dial chat strikes the hours has lately been invented and, constructed by the Abbe Allegret. It is simply a modification of what is known as the solar counter, for registering the times at which the sun shines or is obscured. To effect this there are two balls, one black and the other yellow, fixed at opposite ends of a lever, sustained by a central pivot. When the sun shines the black ball absorbs more heat than the yellow one, and the vapor of a liquid contained in the former is elevated to a higher temperature than in the latter. As the result, the vapor leaves the one ball, and being condensed in the other this becomes the heavier, disturbs the equilibrium of the system, and in so doing liberates a weight, giving motion to a clock-work attachment. In the sun dial here referred to a pair of these balls is fixed at every hour mark. When 'the shadow of the* gnomon reaches any particular hour mark one of the balls is shaded, a preponderance of liquid enters the ball, the lever tills, the mechanism is set going, and a gong sounded as many times as the number of the hour to be indicated. It is necessary, however, that the sun should shine at the time of thte hour mark being passed by the .shadow or the time will not be struck. —There is no love like a mother’s love —no heart like a mother’s heart. Her affections go out for her offspring, no matter where he may roam or What the circumstances in which she may be placed. An instance was seen yesterday when a mother entered the Central Station and found her child, who had been lost from home for hours. She sprang wildly forward, eagerly caught him by thebair, and as she hauled him around she tenderly exclaimed: *Ol Bob Masters.! I’ll wallop you for this when we get home !” —Detroit Free Press.